Federal Reports

This report summarizes a survey related to implementation of the August 1998 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Rural Development Service (RD) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In accordance with the Office of National Drug Control Policy Circular “Accounting of Drug Control Funding and Performance Summary,” we authenticated the Department’s accounting of FY 2014 drug control funds and performance measures for key drug control programs by expressing a conclusion about the reliability of each assertion made in the Department’s accounting report and performance report. Based on our review, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that management’s assertions contained in the Department’s detailed accounting report and performance summary report are not fairly stated in all material respects.

Our review determined that the purchase card program does not pose a high risk to the Department and an audit of the program was not necessary. We reviewed the Department’s purchase card policies and procedures, Office of Management and Budget guidance, corrective action the Department has taken in response to previous OIG purchase card audit findings, documentation from the Department’s purchase card monitoring efforts, and data on disciplinary action the Department has taken in response to purchase card misuse. Additionally, we used OIG data analytic resources to identify and assess high-risk categories of potentially inappropriate purchases. Although we found that the program does not pose a high risk to the Department, we offered two suggestions to help the Department further strength its purchase card program: (1) ensure the Department documents and implements internal controls to fully address applicable requirements and guidance; and (2) improve coordination between Department units when reporting disciplinary actions taken against purchase card abusers to the Office of Management and Budget.

We collaborated with the consulting firm InfoTrends to analyze three months’ worth of customer billing data from a major U.S. utility. We also jointly interviewed executives who manage bill delivery and payment processing to help determine how the utility’s delivery-and-payment costs and customer preferences compare with those at other utilities and even in other industries. This white paper details how we found that despite a clear preference to pay bills online, 91 percent of customers prefer receiving their bills by mail. Even among the utility’s newest customers — those expected to be more digitally savvy — an average of 89 percent opted to have their bills mailed to them, though, like the others, most preferred paying online.

Audit of the NLRB's personnel security function.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, LLC, audited $35.2 million in funds received by the Oklahoma State Election Board under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the State Election Board (1) used payments authorized by Sections 101, 102, and 251 of the grant in accordance with grant and applicable requirements; (2) accurately and properly accounted for property purchased with Grant payments and for program income; and (3) met HAVA requirements for Section 251 funds for creation of an election fund, providing required matching contributions, and meeting the requirements for maintenance of a base level of state outlays, commonly referred to as Maintenance of Expenditures (MOE).

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, LLC, audited $18.0 million in funds received by the Maine Secretary of State under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Secretary of State (1) used payments authorized by Sections 101, 102, and 251 of the grant in accordance with grant and applicable requirements; (2) accurately and properly accounted for property purchased with Grant payments and for program income; and (3) met HAVA requirements for Section 251 funds for creation of an election fund, providing required matching contributions, and meeting the requirements for maintenance of a base level of state outlays, commonly referred to as Maintenance of Expenditures (MOE).

Cyberscope

The SW North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission is the council of government multi-county planning district covering the western most part of the state, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

In accordance with the Office of National Drug Control Policy Circular “Accounting of Drug Control Funding and Performance Summary,” we authenticated the Department’s accounting of FY 2014 drug control funds and performance measures for key drug control programs by expressing a conclusion about the reliability of each assertion made in the Department’s accounting report and performance report. Based on our review, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that management’s assertions contained in the Department’s detailed accounting report and performance summary report are not fairly stated in all material respects.

The U.S. Postal Service has a corporate brand. Its attributes include reliability, convenience, value, and tradition, among other things. Brand valuation is a management tool increasingly used by successful firms to get the most financial benefit from their brands. But unlike many other businesses and organizations, the Postal Service has never conducted a formal brand valuation, which involves measuring the brand like any other asset and monitoring it over time, using a consistent methodology. The OIG worked with Premier Quantitative Consulting (PQC), experts in brand valuation, to estimate the value of the Postal Service’s brand using an accepted methodology with conservative assumptions. This white paper details the extensive research and analysis as well as PQC’s methodology and model that produced an estimate of the Postal Service’s brand value at $3.6 billion.

Review of 241 open FHWA grants

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

SIGTARP's Quarterly Report to Congress

The U.S. Postal Service is required to prefund its long-term pension and retiree healthcare liabilities. These liabilities, currently estimated at almost $404 billion, are based on assumptions that are highly uncertain and changeable. Our recent white paper evaluates these assumptions and other considerations and shows the retiree-related liabilities are closer to being fully funded, or could even be overfunded, when certain assumptions are reasonably adjusted or considered.